Fueled by adrenaline, driven by care

Faculty member Jerry Toporis stands at the crossroads of medicine, mentorship and crisis care. In the fast-paced world of veterinary emergencies, he brings a steady hand, sharp expertise and genuine compassion. His care extends not only to the animals on the table, but also to the students learning beside him and the families waiting anxiously for hope.

Jerry Toporis, DVM

Story contact: Nicholas Childress, CVMMarCom@missouri.edu
Photos by Karen Clifford

Jerry Toporis, DVM, spent his childhood begging for a dog. When his family finally brought home Toby — a Shetland Sheepdog and the runt of the litter — joy quickly turned into fear. The pup was diagnosed with a life-threatening liver condition, and most veterinarians doubted he would survive.

“One surgeon believed in the Toby’s chances, even when others didn’t,” Toporis said. That surgeon saved the puppy, giving him a long, happy life — and giving Toporis a lifelong calling.

From that moment on, his path was clear. “My mom would ask what I wanted to do when I grew up,” he said. “I’d just point back to that moment and think, ‘That guy saved my dog. Why couldn’t I do that too?’”

Toporis chased that dream with purpose. In high school, he worked in veterinary clinics. When he moved to Columbia for his undergraduate studies at the University of Missouri, he joined the Veterinary Health Center — and never left. From undergrad through veterinary school, the hospital became both his training ground and his professional home.

“I’ve worked in this building since I was 18,” he said. “I’ve worked in this building since I was 18,” he said. “Starting here so young shaped a lot of who I am today. I really feel like I’ve grown up personally and professionally within these walls.”

The emergency room clicked

Toporis initially envisioned himself in surgery or food animal medicine, but during his third year at the College of Veterinary Medicine, a clinical rotation in emergency medicine changed everything. 

“It was a combination of the adrenaline, intensity and never knowing what was coming through the door next,” he said. “That was my jam.”

One rotation quickly turned into three, and by the time he graduated, there was no doubt: emergency medicine was where he belonged. 

Today, as a clinical instructor of small animal emergency and critical care, Toporis leads the frontline Veterinary Health Center team. For many clients, the team is the first point of contact — handling everything from late-night crises to specialty referrals from across Missouri and beyond.

Emergency medicine often requires long hours with intense cases, but Toporis says he never carries that weight alone. “My teammates are some of the closest people in my life outside my family,” he said. “Every big success, every heartbreak, every win or loss — I can picture exactly who was by my side.”

Teaching through turmoil

That same adrenaline-fueled environment now shapes not just his own work, but the experiences of his students. Every clinical rotation brings a batch of aspiring veterinarians, each with their own goals, aspirations and uncertainties. Toporis sees that as an opportunity. 

“I always ask them what they want to do, just to gauge potential interests,” he said. “But I also try to orient cases and questions to what will help them the most.”

Even students who plan to go into general practice, and think they’ll rarely face emergencies, benefit from learning how to keep their composure when the stakes are high. 

“Everyone deals with emergencies once in a while,” Toporis said. “When that adrenaline dump happens, I want them to feel like they can focus and work through it.”

That philosophy was on full display during one of his most memorable cases: a litter of eight puppies rushed into the ER with seizures and tremors, likely from toxic exposure.

“Somewhere around 30 people helped stabilize these puppies across multiple services,” Toporis said. “It was chaos, don’t get me wrong, but as organized as chaos can be.”

All eight puppies survived thanks to the teamwork of dozens of specialists, ICU technicians and the contributions of students on the rotation. “My students stepped up big,” Toporis said. “They placed IV catheters, collaborated with multiple services and kept pace the whole time.”

Toporis and veterinary assistant Morgan Croarkin work side by side during an ultrasound.
The meaning to the madness

For Toporis, the work is as much about people as it is about pets. “Some of the hardest days in a person’s life are the days they walk through our doors,” he said. “It’s our responsibility to meet them with empathy and to help them feel supported, no matter the outcome.”

That blend of medical skill and human connection is what keeps Toporis grounded in the work. “It’s an honor and a privilege to be there for our clients in those moments,” he said. “We do this job because we love animals, but every day reminds me it’s also about serving the people who love them.”